What Autocars Girardot does

Autocars Girardot is a French family-owned coach and bus transportation company founded in 1910, headquartered in Chalon-sur-Saône, Saône-et-Loire, and operating as part of the diversified Girardot Groupe. The company operates a homogeneous fleet of approximately 220 modern Mercedes-Benz and Setra coaches and buses, ranging from a 7-passenger luxury van (Top Confort07) and 16-passenger minicar (Confort16) through standard touring coaches (Confort37, Confort48, Confort57, Confort59) to premium (Top Confort34, Top Confort48) and budget (Top Economy) categories. Onboard telemetry and geolocation systems support fleet management, complemented by integrated in-house mechanical and bodywork workshops and an eco-driving training program with follow-up monitoring.

The company serves four primary customer segments: education (school and peri-school transport plus student excursions — the primary vertical), corporate/business (VIP transport, incentive trips, conferences), events (weddings, special occasions), and tourism/leisure (day excursions, multi-day tours). Distribution is multi-channel: an online Devis Express quoting system, phone sales, and three physical commercial offices in Chalon-sur-Saône, Saint-Apollinaire (Dijon area), and Saint-Vallier. The service area covers France and Europe.

Autocars Girardot generates revenue through coach rental with professional drivers on a per-trip, quote-based pricing model, reporting annual turnover of €13.5M and a workforce of 300 experienced collaborators. Pricing is customized per trip and not publicly disclosed. The company holds a SAS legal form (SAS AUTOCARS GIRARDOT), is controlled by the Girardot family with Christophe Girardot serving as Director General, and has no disclosed external institutional investors. Related entities within Girardot Groupe include Voyages Girardot Organisation (tour operator), Selectour Voyages Girardot (retail travel agencies), Bienvenue en Bourgogne (receptive tourism), and Visiotrain (Beaune tourist train), enabling cross-selling of transport and packaged travel.

Name

Autocars Girardot

Legal name

SAS AUTOCARS GIRARDOT

Website

https://autocars-girardot.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1910

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Autocars Girardot is a French family-owned coach and bus rental company, founded in 1910 and based in Chalon-sur-Saône, operating a 220-vehicle Mercedes-Benz and Setra fleet. It serves education, corporate, events, and tourism customers across France and Europe, reporting €13.5M in annual revenue and 300 employees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Coach and Bus Transportation Services

NAICS

Other Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (48599), Transit and Ground Passenger Transportation (485)

SIC

Transportation Services (4700)

akta.pro primary industry

Coach & Bus Charter Fleet Rental (With/Without Driver) (TLABADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Pre-Booked Private Hire / Chauffeur (PHV/Limo) (THAIAGAD), Intercity Coach Leasing & Rental Providers (TLAFAFAK)

Keywords

• Coach rental services
• Bus transportation
• School bus transport
• Corporate event transport
• Group tourist travel

Headquarters

HQ city

Chalon-sur-saône

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Coach/Bus Rental with Driver: Rental of coaches and buses with professional drivers for various transportation needs including school transport, VIP transport, corporate events, tourism, and inter-city travel. Revenue generated through service contracts and per-trip pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Autocars Girardot rents coaches and buses with professional drivers for group transportation across France and Europe. Its homogeneous fleet of 220 Mercedes-Benz and Setra vehicles serves school transport, corporate events, VIP transfers, weddings, and tourism, supported by in-house mechanical and bodywork workshops and onboard telematics for fleet management.

Product overview

Autocars Girardot is a bus and coach rental company operating since 1910, offering a portfolio of vehicle categories across different passenger capacities and comfort levels. The product portfolio includes 9 distinct rental service categories: Top Confort07 (luxury van for 7 passengers), Confort16 (minicar for 16 passengers), Top Confort34 (premium coach with VIP lounge for 34 passengers), Confort37 (touring coach for 37 passengers), Confort48 (touring coach for 48 passengers), Top Confort48 (premium elevated-floor coach for 48 passengers), Confort57 (touring coach for 57 passengers), Confort59 (high-capacity coach for 59 passengers), and Top Economy (budget coach for 57-59 passengers). Vehicles span Mercedes-Benz (Sprinter, Classe V, Intouro) and Setra brands (511 HD, 515 HD, 416 HD, 516 HD, 516 HDH, 416 GT). The company also offers related transport services including driver provision, congress coordination, and custom itinerary planning.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Confort16 Tourism minicar rental service for 16 passengers built on a Mercedes Sprinter chassis, suitable for small groups seeking comfort similar to a large touring coach.
• Top Confort34 Grand Touring coach rental service for 34 passengers with VIP lounge seating for 4 persons, based on a Setra 416 HD vehicle.
• Confort37 Grand Touring coach rental service for 37 passengers built on a Setra 511 HD vehicle.
• Confort48 Grand Touring coach rental service for 48 passengers built on a Setra 515 HD vehicle.
• Top Confort48 Premium Grand Touring coach rental service for 48 passengers with elevated floor, Panorama TopSky glass roof, HD monitors, and high-end materials, based on a Setra 516 HDH vehicle.
• Confort57 Grand Touring coach rental service for 57 passengers from the ComfortClass line, based on a Setra 516 HD with 2.10 m standing height and panoramic windows.
• Confort59 Petit Tourisme coach rental service for 59 passengers seeking maximum capacity, based on a Setra 416 GT vehicle.
• Top Economy Economy-class coach rental service for 57 or 59 passengers at an attractive price, suited to short-distance trips and school outings, based on a Mercedes-Benz Intouro vehicle.
• Top Confort07 Luxury van rental service for 7 passengers in a VIP configuration, based on a Mercedes Classe V with exceptional habitability and high-quality finishes.

Quantifiable outcome

• 100/100 index for professional gender equality 2025
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Girardot GroupeOthersParent company of Autocars Girardot and related travel companies including Voyages Girardot Organisation (tour operator), Selectour Voyages Girardot (travel agencies), Bienvenue en Bourgogne (incoming agency), and Visiotrain (tourist train in Beaune).

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• FlixBus: European intercity coach network with French operations. Indirect competitor: FlixBus primarily serves scheduled intercity routes rather than private charter, but its scale and brand investment influence demand patterns and competitive intensity in the French coach market where Autocars Girardot also operates.

Others

• Setra (EvoBus/Daimler Truck brand): OEM supplier of the premium touring coaches that dominate Autocars Girardot's fleet (Setra 416 HD, 511 HD, 515 HD, 516 HD/HDH, 416 GT). Included as an ecosystem participant, not a competitor; relevant because fleet OEM choice and commercial terms directly affect unit economics.

Broad incumbents

• RATP Dev: Subsidiary of RATP Group operating urban, suburban, and interurban passenger transport worldwide, including school and on-demand services in France. Competes for regional public transport contracts that overlap with Autocars Girardot's primary verticals.
• Transdev: Major French and international public transport and mobility operator. Operates coach charter, school transport, and intercity services at much larger scale; competes with Autocars Girardot for the same public tenders and corporate clients, especially where larger fleets are required.
• Keolis: French-owned (SNCF) public transport group operating buses, coaches, and on-demand mobility across France and Europe. Competes directly with Autocars Girardot for school, intercity, and group transport tenders while also serving as a potential acquisition consolidator of regional operators.

Direct peers

• Cars Dunois: Regional French coach charter and school transport operator. Directly comparable on service offering (coach with driver, school transport, tourism) and on serving a defined French region with a mid-sized fleet.
• Autocars Maisonneuve: French coach operator with charter, school, and tourism services. Comparable to Autocars Girardot on service categories and customer segments, typically serving a defined French region with a homogeneous fleet.
• Groupe Courtois: French family-owned coach and bus operator with a similar profile: charter with driver, school transport, corporate and tourism services, and a regional base. Closest like-for-like competitor in terms of customer mix, fleet size class, and family-ownership structure.
• Verney Voyages: Independent French coach and travel group operating school transport, tourism, and corporate charter services. Comparable in family ownership profile, regional concentration, and end-customer mix to Autocars Girardot.
• Voyages Pichon: French regional coach operator offering school, tourism, and corporate charter services with driver. Comparable to Autocars Girardot on customer verticals, fleet composition, and direct-sales quoting model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/autocarsgirardot
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/autocars-girardot
• Instagraminstagram.com/voyagesgirardot

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Autocars Girardot